Commentary from a New York Times bestselling author on the business and life of writing for a living--everything from money and motivation, to plagiarism and writer's block.
(See also http://www.michaelabanks.com)

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

A Different Kind of Owner Manual

Those of you who do your own automobile maintenance--or heavy repair and restoration--know the Haynes manuals. They're the most popular of their type, covering nearly every kind of car you can buy in the U.S. or U.K. Haynes manuals are nothing like the old Motors Auto Repair manuals, which were far more detailed and used photos of every step in a procedure (yes, they were huge), but the do offer substantial help when you're dealing with something new to you.

Well, after decades of publishing automotive how-to books, Haynes has shifted to a more social realm. As shown above, it's now possible to buy a Haynes guide to sex. It's titled SEX: 16 Years Onwards, All Models, Shapes, Sizes and Colours., and branded a "Haynes Owners Workshop Manual."

It sounds like a Mad Magazine spoof, but this is for real, an alternative to the "For Dummies" books. SEX is part of a series, which includes Child, Man, Woman (with the word Owners crossed out in the brand), HGV Man, Baby, Toddler, Cancer, and other health issues. (And just for fun and fascination, there's a Hayes Owners Workshop Manual for the Supermarine Spitfire. Definitely different.

About Me

(CONTACT: bookrevs@aol.com)
A fulltime writer for the past 28 years, I've written several dozen books, among them On the Way to the Web; Blogging Heroes;, the New York Times bestseller Crosley; Before Oprah: Ruth Lyons, the Woman Who Created Talk TV; and a few science fiction novels.
Forthcoming are a tell-all about Internet "interaction," a biography of Earl Muntz (who invented auto stereo), and computing titles.
I've done quite a bit of editing, including acquisitions for Baen Books and serving as Associate Editor or New Destinies.